Editor’s Note: The following is an announcement by the organization United for Iran on the upcoming conference of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries in Tehran, Iran. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Should Secure Cooperation on Human Rights before Visiting Iran Washington D.C. (17 August 2012)–United for Iran calls on democratic leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to pressure Iran […]
As the 2012 Olympics come to an end, we could list off the medals received, the records broken, and the athletic milestones reached. For the foreign policy enthusiasts among us, an Olympic recap inevitably includes another kind of list — a list of the geopolitical issues that the Games have highlighted. With more countries represented […]
Marcela Valente of the ipsnews.net published a very interesting article this week discussing why Mercosur has decided to pass up a recent offer of a free trade agreement with China. Mercosur fell off the radar screen in the discussions on international trade after the FTAA died post 2001. With the recent dramatic suspension of Paraguay […]
In the 1980s, Japanese carmakers began to move production to the United States. Today, they — along with German and South Korean makers — account for more than 40% of the autos made in the United States. The move begs a question, taken up by a recent New York Times article: Could consumer electronics makers […]
Wade Michael Page killed six Sikh worshipers in their gurdwara (Sikh Temple) in Wisconsin earlier this week. Page, a 40 year old who is said to have been an active member of a white supremacist group, died of a self inflicted gunshot to the head. Although the motive of the crime is unclear, or has “died with Page,” most […]
While recent U.S. efforts with Colombia and Mexico have bolstered security and institutions in those nations, U.S. influence in Central America has been comparatively weak. NAFTA has fostered impressive geopolitical interconnection between Mexico and the U.S.; the analogous and little recognized CAFTA-DR (Dominican Republic-Central America-United States) Free Trade Agreement has not led to much […]
There is much debate in the United States on the dominance of China in the current global economy. These discussions are quite valid as Latin America weathered much of the 2008 economic crisis based upon natural resource exports to China to bolster their booming economy. Canada was also able to rely on natural resources […]
So, what does it mean that Kenya’s debt is low low that if the country were part of the Eurozone it would have the third lowest debt ratio? Probably not a great deal. It means, of course, that Kenya has managed its debt well. It means that data can reveal a great deal, but that […]
This article is a follow-up to “Three Flops That Make Leon Panetta Sad.” I talked a fair bit last week about the various costly mistakes the U.S. military has made in the context of the upcoming sequestration. A survey conducted by the Program for Public Consultation, the Stimson Center and the Center for Public Integrity […]
The Washington Post’s Juan Forero recently published an article on the erosion of democratic institutions in Latin America. Among the “new authoritarians” he cites as responsible for the decline are Hugo Chavez and several of his key allies, namely Ecuador’s Rafael Correa, Bolivia’s Evo Morales and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega. All of them have ridden roughshod […]
As mentioned in my last blog, I’ve been off the grid for a while. I’m currently in Alabama hanging out with my 85 years young Mom but have been playing catch up with current events. I have to get up every few minutes and stand in front of her air conditioner but then I gamely […]
The Washington Post published a very informative article this week about Mexican immigration to the United States and the logical and progressive nature of immigration and investment coming from mostly illegal immigration to the U.S. Currently, the immigration rate from Mexico to the United States is balanced with many Mexicans returning to Mexico after years […]
At a Foreign Policy Association event in April 2010, former Brazil Central Bank President Arminio Fraga gave a rather intoxicating assessment of global central bank stimulus efforts to stem economic crisis. Fraga asked each audience member to imagine a night when he or she may have gotten ridiculously drunk. A rather tiring, hungover morning […]
Earlier this month, Mehdi Hasan of the Guardian wrote about having to deal with Islamophobia on a day to day basis; how his work and family were affected, but asserting that he would continue to do what he does. Mr. Hasan clarifies that he does not consider his Islamic beliefs exempt from public criticism — just that it […]
First Take by Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) offers analyses by CFR fellows and experts on key foreign policy issues. The latest issue of First Take, “Syria: Beyond the UN Veto” is by Richard Haas, President of CFR. Mr. Haas suggests that the United States and other like-minded governments should not equate the United Nations with multilateralism nor should […]